Apr 10

Sound Advice In Trying Times

by B.L. in Other 0 comments
  My sister sent me this message several months ago, when I was feeling low down and a bit helpless. I loved it so much I decided to pass it on. Thanks Sis. My only comment, I would add some additional suggestions to Number 9. If you can’t show up and be counted because of limitations, you can still do something. Call your representatives like I did or email them or write to them like I did. All of that works too. The point is to do something positive. Don’t stay in your own little bubble world and complain about how bad things are if you aren’t willing to do more than complain. Read the rest of the advice below. It needs no further explanation From a friend’s page. Sound advice for the times. This is also going around and for good reason: Don’t use his name. Remember this is a regime and he’s not acting alone. Do not belittle those who support him–it doesn’t work. Focus on his policies, not his orange-ness or his toupee. Keep your message positive; they want the country to be angry and fearful because this is the soil from which their darkest policies will […]
Mar 27

WHY I WROTE THE WEDDING THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN

by B.L. in Other 0 comments
Once again, I’ve taken aim at long lost love and ex-lovers meeting again after an acrimonious break up. This time, nearly three decades have passed between the ex-lovers. It’s been long enough that each woman now has grown children who against all odds, meet, fall in love and want to marry. If I was either woman what would I do? Would I tell my child who their fiancée’s mother is? Or could I or would I ignore the past and focus on my child’s future? What would it do to me or my ex-lover to become in-laws? I decided to add a subplot to the mix. One of the women has cancer while the other woman happens to be an trauma surgeon. Now what would I do if I was the woman with cancer or if I was the woman with the medical degree? I thought the premise was interesting enough to write a novel called THE WEDDING THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN, finding love after 27 years to answer those questions and more. Connect with BL Wilson at these links: Blog: http://wilsonbluez.com Facebook Business Page: https://www.facebook.com/patchworkbluezpress Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1BDmrjJ Linked-in: http://linkd.in/1ui0iRu Twitter: http://bit.ly/11fAPxR Smashwords profile page: http://bit.ly/1sUKQYP Amazon’s Author Page: http://bit.ly/1tY3e27
Mar 20

“UNBOSSED AND UNBOUGHT”

by B.L. in Other 0 comments
In honor of Women’s History Month, once again I’m using some of that research I dug up and didn’t use for the first post. As I mentioned before, I wanted to introduce readers to women that might not be in the typical history books. This next woman was a series of firsts which she asked not to be remembered for when she died. I’m going to go down the list of her firsts anyway because knowledge is power. We should all know about her. Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman to run for congress and win. In 1968, she won a seat in congress representing the 12th District in Brooklyn. She represented her district from 1969 to 1983. She was also the first woman of Caribbean to win a seat in congress. Her mother was born in Barbados. Her father was from British Guiana. Four years later in 1972, she was the first person of African American descent to run for nomination in a major party for president of the United States. She was also the first woman to run for president of the United States from the Democratic party. She served as a role model for many […]
Mar 13

AIN’T I A WOMAN?

by B.L. in Other 0 comments
In honor of Women’s History Month, I’m introducing readers to women not easily found in history books. I hope you find her words as inspiring as I did. Abolitionist, Sojourner Truth (1797-1883) was enslaved until she escaped in 1826. She devoted the rest of her life to speaking out against slavery and for equal rights for women. She helped free and formerly enslaved Blacks, relocate to western states. Here’s what she had to say in 1851, delivering a speech entitled “Ain’t I A Woman” in Akron Ohio at a Women’s Conference. “Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that ‘twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what’s all this here talking about? That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered […]
Mar 06

LET’S CELEBRATE WOMEN

by B.L. in Other 0 comments
When I started thinking about celebrating Women’s History Month and how to write a little something-something, I went on the internet to good old Google. I used other sources like cable, the radio, Y-tube, LinkedIn and Pinterest too. I started saving articles from the magazines and newspapers I read. Then I sorted through my book collection looking for books about women. I guess I’m old school because I still read newspapers and magazines. My book selection includes both the hardcover and paperback versions. Before long, I had amassed a collection of information about women that any researcher worth her weight in gold would love. And that was my problem. Too much information. Great if I was writing a thesis but way too much for a one-page post. Like most writers I love words. Whether they are my words or somebody else’s, I love ‘em like I birthed them. So it’s difficult for me eliminate them entirely as good editing requires. It wasn’t long before I realized writing this article was becoming a nightmare for me. Then I did what I usually do and waited for inspiration to help me. When that didn’t work, I did the other thing I usually […]
Feb 27

WHY I WROTE: DEATHS BY UNNATURAL CAUSES

by B.L. in Other 0 comments
I tried to imagine waking up to whispering conversations between emergency medical personnel and the police declaring me dead. The second thing I hear is the static from police radios, sounds that seem to be coming from everywhere. How can that be? I’m in my own apartment, getting ready for another day of work. I did all the stuff I normally do to get ready for another day of work. The sun was just rising when I slipped out of bed. I rarely use an alarm clock. I keep my blinds open a little so I can see the golden light of the sunrise which always wakes me. I walk to the bathroom and turn on the shower. I leave it running a little because I love steamy showers. I walk down my short hallway to my cozy, little yellow kitchen to start breakfast of coffee, toast and my favorite scrambled cheese eggs. I don’t remember anything after that. Why are all these people here? Why does everyone think I’m dead? Who killed me? Am I really dead? How do I feel about all of this? I wanted to write a mystery novel that explored those questions. The book is […]
Feb 20

A HOT MESS?

by B.L. in Other 0 comments
President-elect Trump won a majority of the Electoral College votes but not the popular. So with a great deal of fascination, I’ve been watching media commentators do what they do best or worst depending on which side of the television you sit. Of particular interest to me was the goings’ on at President-elect Trump’s castle tower. Every day since the beginning of January if not earlier, it seemed like more and more of America’s out of touch but ultra-wealthy or infamous or wannabees came to see the king of the castle and to kiss his ring. Weirdly enough, President-elect Trump seemed to be hostile to folks that average Americans admired. He made no bones about his intense dislike bordering on hatred for Black presidents, captured military heroes, and Gold Star families. Recently the president elect added new folks to his full of crap list that included civil rights activists, A-list entertainers as well as Hollywood actors and actresses. Think President Obama, John Mac Cain, the Khans, John Lewis, Meryl and Alec as a partial list because I’m sure there’s more folks to be added. I was curious to see who would accept his invitation to perform at his inauguration. After […]
Feb 13

LOVER’S DAY RANT

by B.L. in Other 0 comments
Contacting Sam, our marriage counselor, was something I felt I had to do. I figured I should speak with him because I needed to know if Gilbert directly or indirectly mentioned his assault plans during any of his one-on-sessions with Sam. Gil had stopped attending our joint and his individual sessions with Sam, two weeks before the assault. I figured Sam owed me the truth because I was still his patient, while Gil wasn’t so I called him. He claimed that he couldn’t betray Gil’s confidence to confirm or deny my suspicions. I stopped attending his sessions after that phone call. I missed Gil at night when I was feeling particularly lonesome and didn’t have a warm body to snuggle against. I shared a ten-year history with the man but it was certainly over now. Gilbert saw to that the minute he let his fists do the talking for his heart. I’d like to tell you that I’ve found the most wonderful person in the world and that we’re happy, as hell living together but I can’t. I had a series of bad relationships after Gilbert. Although none were violent, I wouldn’t stand for that but none of them lasted […]
Jan 16

SWEET SARAH’S BLUEZ, WHY I WROTE IT

by B.L. in Other 0 comments
It was 1999. I was in graduate school when I first started to write Sweet Sarah’s Bluez. Watching a movie entitled The Education of Rita starring Michael Caine and Julie Walter was a requirement in one of the orientation classes I attended. The movie introduced an uneducated, lower-class working woman who is tired of her life as a hairdresser. She decides a higher education would lift her out of her boring job and her uneventful life. She applies for a college-level literature course and expects to gain admittance with barely a high school education. The movie traces Rita’s transformation from a nearly illiterate woman to thoughtful analyzing, well-read woman. Along her journey to earn a higher education, she meets a cold-hearted, alcoholic, literature professor with whom she falls in love. The professor helps her see the world in a critical way while she helps him view the world as kinder and warmer. The film ends with Rita completing the first in a series of English Literature courses. She decides to continue her education but along the way, she loses her lover the professor, her husband and her best friend. I wanted to write a romantic comedy story about a 40-year-old, […]
Dec 26

FAREWELL, PRESIDENT OBAMA

by B.L. in Other 0 comments
The picture you see is Senator Obama in Wisconsin at a presidential rally in 2008. He’s holding an original copy of my first edition of Mr. Jefferson’s Piano and Other Central Harlem Stories. My publisher at the time was so excited to meet him. She decided to show him my book. Rumor has it that he loved to read, but I don’t know if the Senator kept the copy or even read it if he did. My publishers wanted to advertise the picture on their site and claim he loved the book. I disagreed. I said I thought it crossed the boundary into false advertising. I worried about being sued and so I checked their site every day for the next two weeks. My publishers tried every which way but loose to convince me. They finally gave up on the idea of posting the picture.   Looking at the picture from eight years earlier, I think how much President Obama has changed. He looks so much younger in the picture. He has less gray hair and very little worry wrinkles across his forehead. Looking at him now, I guess eight years of being the father, the big daddy of our […]
Recent Posts
Most popular, Worth a look, Must read, Related posts, What the experts say, Q & A
Post Views